Three California ski resorts open weeks ahead of schedule

In this image taken Monday, Oct. 25, and provided by Palisades Tahoe, a dog stands in new snow near a chairlift at the ski resort as snow falls in Olympic Valley. Palisades Tahoe joins Mammoth Mountain in starting its season Friday, Oct. 29. The resort said the big storm dropped more than 3 feet of snow on its upper mountain. AP photo/Palisades Tahoe photo
The skiing and snowboarding season got off to an early start in the Sierra Nevada Friday, Oct. 29, thanks to the powerful atmospheric river that delivered plenty of snow well ahead of winter.Lifts began operating weeks ahead of schedule at Palisades Tahoe and Boreal in the Lake Tahoe region and about 125 miles to the south at Mammoth Mountain.The big storm hit Northern California Sunday, Oct. 24, setting rainfall records and coating the Sierra Nevadas in snow.The system did not end California’s drought but did cause some reduction of areas considered to be in “extreme” and “exceptional” drought, the U.S. Drought Monitor said in its weekly report.Chances of rain and snow return to Northern California next week, the National Weather Service said.
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